“Dying is part of the process of living and should not take place in a pre-cemetery,” said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

True change comes to people’s lives and communities when both spiritual and material needs receive care, said the president of a Catholic relief and development organization based in Boca Raton, Fla.

Pilgrims passing through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica during the Holy Year 2025, going to confession, receiving Communion and praying for the intentions of the pope can receive an indulgence, but so can inmates in prison and those who work to defend human life or assist migrants and refugees.

The troves of knowledge stored in archives and libraries must be made available and accessible to all people, especially as they increasingly depend on technological means for their knowledge, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis reiterated the Vatican’s willingness to aid in a comprehensive prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.

Jesus’ ascension shows that, despite the difficulties in peoples’ lives, they are all made for heaven, Pope Francis said.

The divisions within the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India are the work of the devil, who has convinced some people, including priests, that their way is the only way to celebrate the Eucharist, Pope Francis said.

The pope met with some 350 participants of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity being held May 10-11.

A new civilization rooted in human dignity and capable of overcoming division is needed to ensure the peace, stability and prosperity of all people, speakers said at a Vatican conference on promoting peace.

University students today need an education that not only prepares them for a career but helps them face personal challenges and learn how to contribute to the good of their communities, Pope Francis said.